The Flight of Icarus Read online

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  Icarus’s eyes flutter open. He squints as the sun peeks over the walls of the maze, piercing the darkness. He feels a pang in his stomach as it rumbles loudly. The last thing he had to eat was pumpkin bread with Arianna. He has to get to her. He turns towards the door. Propped against the door is a long staff with a type of curved blade attached at one end. Arianna must have snuck it in while he slept. Icarus pulls himself to his feet. He knows exactly how to get out, but avoiding the monsters is another thing altogether. He picks up the staff and walks down the first corridor.

  Icarus comes to his first fork in the road. It’s been a couple of years since he’s traveled the maze. He’s never traveled it alone. It’s at this moment that he wishes his father were still alive. Aside from the day of his father’s funeral this is the only time that he has felt truly alone. He searches deep inside himself finding his determination. He turns right and marches down the corridor. In the distance Icarus can hear slow methodical footsteps. He can’t tell from which direction they are originating. He crouches forward holding his weapon in both hands and slowly walks ahead. He comes to another fork. He pauses, listening quietly. The footsteps are coming from the left. Icarus steps back and presses his back to the left side of the wall. He waits for whatever is coming. The footsteps come closer. He grips his weapon with both hands. The footsteps are just around the corner. He waits for his moment. He sees a figure walk past him and continue down the path. It pauses. Icarus raises his weapon, poised to strike. It turns in his direction. It’s his father. “Dad?”

  “Icarus!” His father rushes to him and holds him tight. Icarus drops his weapon and holds on to his father for dear life. He thought he’d never see him again.

  “What…? How…? Where…? I thought you were dead,” Icarus finally manages to complete a sentence.

  Icarus and his father sit on the floor in the corner of one of the corridors. He and the others that Minos has sentenced to the maze have created a home here. They eat while his father tells him what he has been doing for the last two years; “Minos caught me in his gardens and sentenced me to the maze. It was in his gardens that I found the cure for my illness. Minos has an entire garden full of medicinal herbs. Nash was Minos’ doctor before he got sent down here to the maze for stealing medicine for his sick daughter.”

  “So you’re not sick anymore? Did you cure the others too?”

  “No, those that were affected by the sickness have all been destroyed. They couldn’t be saved. These people here are the people Minos has sentenced. We steal food from his gardens to stay alive. We continue to live down here because it’s safer than being out in the open. If we stay down here, unnoticed, then Minos will believe we’re dead and won’t come looking for us.”

  “So you’re just going to live out the rest of your lives down here in the maze?”

  “We’ve all come up with a plan to overthrow Minos. We’re just waiting for the right moment. We need someone on the inside.”

  “Arianna!” Icarus exclaims. “His daughter will help us.”

  “How do you know she will help us?” Icarus’ father needed to be convinced. Icarus tells him of their relationship. He tells him of their love. He shows him the weapon that Arianna left for him. Finally convinced, they devise a plan.

  Icarus’ father begins to explain the plan, “There are two guards at the exit. We’ve been getting out through a secret passage that your grandfather built. You’ll need to use that passage to get to Arianna.”

  *****

  Arianna checks with the guards everyday to see if Icarus has made it through the maze. Everyday it’s the same answer, no. It’s been almost a week and she is beginning to worry. She hopes that Icarus found the weapon she left for him. She hopes that it was useful. She decides that if Icarus hasn’t made it to the exit today that she will have to accept his fate. Walking along the path towards the maze she hears something.

  “Pssst.” She stops and looks around. She hears it again, this time louder, “Pssst!” She turns toward the tall wall of hedges. Icarus steps out from behind them. Arianna shouts, “Icarus!” She throws her arms around him.

  “Shhhh, we don’t want the guards to here you.”

  “How did you escape?”

  “My grandfather built that maze. My father and I used to travel it all the time. I know it like the back of my hand.”

  “But the guards. They have strict orders to kill you if you make it to the exit.”

  “Grandpa built a secret passage that bypasses the exit. Listen, we have a plan, but we need your help.”

  Arianna looks confused, “We?”

  “Arianna, my father is alive!”

  “What!” She’s now more confused than before.

  “I don’t have time to explain it now, but we need your help.”

  “What can I do?” Arianna is willing to do anything to be with Icarus. He tells her the plan and she agrees. Arianna goes back to her room. She talks to the guards outside her door. They have watched over her since she was a child. They will do anything to protect her. She asks them to relieve the guards at the entrance to the maze. She will meet them there with her father.

  *****

  Arianna runs to her father’s room, “Father! Father! They need you at the entrance to the maze!”

  “What is it now, child?”

  “One of the monsters has attacked a guard. He needs help.”

  “Just throw him in the maze. Let the monsters have him for dinner.”

  Arianna pleads with him, “Father, it’s Aldrich. He’s been with us- he’s been with me since I was little.”

  Minos gives in, “Very well. Get the doctor, we’ll all go down together.” Arianna does as her father instructs and they all walk down to the maze entrance. One of the guards lies writhing on the ground. He is moaning, appearing to be in much pain. The doctor leans down to check on him. He doesn’t notice any wounds, “What’s this?”

  The guard, who is actually Icarus, winks at the doctor and motions for him to be quiet. Minos addresses the doctor, “What seems to be the trouble?”

  The doctor, understanding what Icarus wants, speaks to Minos, “Come look at this.” Minos sighs with impatience. He kneels down as he speaks, “What is it?” When he gets close enough, Icarus grabs Minos while getting to his feet. The other guard, who is actually Icarus’ father, opens the door and pushes Minos into the maze. “Now you can suffer the same fate as all those you have wrongfully imprisoned.”

  Icarus chimes in, “Don’t expect to find your way out. Even if you do, the other end is locked. You’ll live out your final days within this maze.”

  “Curses! I will escape and you will pay! I am King Minos! No one defies me!” Minos continues to shout as they all walk away.

  *****

  Arianna and Icarus stand on the deck of the rebuilt airship. Behind them is the waterfall of Ys. Arianna is in a beautiful wedding dress. Icarus is wearing a top hat and tails. His father stands before them with a Bible in his hands, “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Everyone from the maze, even all the guards, celebrate the marriage, throwing sunflower seeds into the air. Icarus takes his new bride in his arms and kisses her passionately. They then both jump over the bow of the ship and into the lake. Everyone else follows suit.

  Entry 13989

  The herbs in Minos’ garden help everyone to live longer lives. Not as long as they used to before the war, but well into their 50s. Arianna and I have children and grandchildren. The family runs Crete and we provide help for all that find their way to the island. King Minos’ remains have never been recovered. I can only assumed that he got lost somewhere within the maze and died.

  #####

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